| Sonstiges: |
- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Grants
- Sprachen: English
- Patent Number: 8,795,935
- Publication Date: August 05, 2014
- Appl. No: 13/256989
- Application Filed: March 17, 2010
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
- Claim: 1. An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: a support, a photosensitive layer, and a crosslinked resin surface layer, the photosensitive layer and crosslinked resin surface layer being provided over the support wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer is a layer which is cured by UV irradiation after (i) the photosensitive layer is sprayed with a crosslinked-resin-surface-layer coating liquid to form a wet film and (ii) the wet film is sprayed with water, wherein shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-1) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (HHH), a second highest frequency component (HHL), a third highest frequency component (HMH), a fourth highest frequency component (HML), a fifth highest frequency component (HLH) and a lowest frequency component (HLL), the one-dimensional data arrays of the lowest frequency component (HLL) thus obtained are thinned out so that the number of data arrays is reduced to 1/10 to 1/100 thereof to thereby produce one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays thus produced are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-2) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (LHH), a second highest frequency component (LHL), a third highest frequency component (LMH), a fourth highest frequency component (LML), a fifth highest frequency component (LLH) and a lowest frequency component (LLL) to thereby obtain 12 frequency components in total; and the crosslinked resin surface layer is processed to obtain a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of 7 frequency components out of the 12 frequency components satisfying a relationship (i) below, 1−597×WRa(HML)+238×WRa(HLH)−95×WRa(LHL)+84×WRa(LMH)−79×WRa(LML)+55×WRa(LLH)−17×WRa(LLL)>0 (i) where a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of the frequency components is a center-line average roughness based on one-dimensional data arrays, which is obtained by a procedure in which shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, and the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to multiresolution analyses (MRA-1) and (MRA-2) so as to be separated into different frequency components ranging from a highest frequency component to a lowest frequency component; and HML, HLH, LHL, LMH, LML, LLH, and LLL each represent an individual frequency band obtained when the one-dimensional data arrays are separated into frequency components having one concave-convex cycle length of from 4 μm to 25 μm, from 10 μm to 50 μm, from 53 μm to 183 μm, from 106 μm to 318 μm, from 214 μm to 551 μm, from 431 μm to 954 μm, and from 867 μm to 1,654 μm, in this order.
- Claim: 2. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer contains at least a crosslinked product of a curable charge transporting material represented by the following General Formula (1) in an amount equal to or more than 5% by mass and less than 60% by mass of the crosslinked resin surface layer, [chemical expression included] where d, e and f each represent an integer of zero or 1, R 13 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R 14 and R 15 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which is a substituent other than hydrogen atom, and in the case where R 14 and R 15 are present in plural number, each may be different; g and h each represent an integer of zero to 3; and Z represents anyone of a single bond, a methylene group, an ethylene group and a divalent group represented by one of the following formulae: [chemical expression included]
- Claim: 3. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer contains a crosslinked product of trimethylolpropane triacrylate in an amount equal to or more than 10% by mass and less than 50% by mass of the crosslinked resin surface layer.
- Claim: 4. The electrophotographic photo conductor according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer is formed with a crosslinked-resin-surface-layer coating liquid containing water in an amount of 5% by mass to 15% by mass with respect to the mass of the crosslinked-resin-surface-layer coating liquid.
- Claim: 5. A method for producing an electrophotographic photoconductor having a photosensitive layer and a crosslinked resin surface layer over a support wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer is a layer which is cured by UV irradiation after (i) the photosensitive layer is sprayed with a crosslinked-resin-surface-layer coating liquid to form a wet film and (ii) the wet film is sprayed with water, wherein shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-1) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (HHH), a second highest frequency component (HHL), a third highest frequency component (HMH), a fourth highest frequency component (HML), a fifth highest frequency component (HLH) and a lowest frequency component (HLL), the one-dimensional data arrays of the lowest frequency component (HLL) thus obtained are thinned out so that the number of data arrays is reduced to 1/10 to 1/100 thereof to thereby produce one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays thus produced are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-2) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (LHH), a second highest frequency component (LHL), third highest frequency component (LMH), a fourth highest frequency component (LML), a fifth highest frequency component (LLH) and a lowest frequency component (LLL) to thereby obtain 12 frequency components in total; and the method includes processing the crosslinked resin surface layer to obtain a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of 7 frequency components out of the 12 frequency components satisfying a relationship (i) below, 1−597×WRa(HML)+238×WRa(HLH)−95×WRa(LHL)+84×WRa(LMH)−79×WRa(LML)+55×WRa(LLH)−17×WRa(LLL)>0 (i) where a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of the frequency components is a center-line average roughness based on one-dimensional data arrays, which is obtained by a procedure in which shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, and the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to the multiresolution analyses (MRA-1) and (MRA-2) so as to be separated into different frequency components ranging from a highest frequency component to a lowest frequency component; and HML, HLH, LHL, LMH, LML, LLH, and LLL each represent an individual frequency band obtained when the one-dimensional data arrays are separated into frequency components having one concave-convex cycle length of from 4 μm to 25 μm, from 10 μm to 50 μm, from 53 μm to 183 μm, from 106 μm to 318 μm, from 214 μm to 551 μm, from 431 μm to 954 μm, and from 867 μm to 1,654 μm, in this order.
- Claim: 6. An image forming apparatus comprising: an electrophotographic photoconductor, a solid-lubricant applying unit which scrapes a solid lubricant with a brush roller and applies the scraped solid lubricant onto the electrophotographic photoconductor, and a coating blade for spreading the solid lubricant over a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor, wherein the electrophotographic photoconductor comprises: a support, a photosensitive layer, and a crosslinked resin surface layer, the photosensitive layer and crosslinked resin surface layer being provided over the support wherein the crosslinked resin surface layer is a layer which is cured by UV irradiation after (i) the photosensitive layer is sprayed with a crosslinked-resin-surface-layer coating liquid to form a wet film and (ii) the wet film is sprayed with water, wherein shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-1) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (HHH), a second highest frequency component (HHL), a third highest frequency component (HMH), a fourth highest frequency component (HML), a fifth highest frequency component (HLH) and a lowest frequency component (HLL), the one-dimensional data arrays of the lowest frequency component (HLL) thus obtained are thinned out so that the number of data arrays is reduced to 1/10 to 1/100 thereof to thereby produce one-dimensional data arrays, the one-dimensional data arrays thus produced are subjected to a multiresolution analysis (MRA-2) through wavelet transformation so as to be separated into six frequency components including a highest frequency component (LHH), a second highest frequency component (LHL), third highest frequency component (LMH), a fourth highest frequency component (LML), a fifth highest frequency component (LLH) and a lowest frequency component (LLL) to thereby obtain 12 frequency components in total; and the crosslinked resin surface layer is processed to obtain a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of 7 frequency components out of the 12 frequency components satisfying a relationship (i) below, 1−597×WRa(HML)+238×WRa(HLH)−95×WRa(LHL)+84×WRa(LMH)−79×WRa(LML)+55×WRa(LLH)−17×WRa(LLL)>0 (i) where a center-line average roughness (WRa) of each of the frequency components is a center-line average roughness based on one-dimensional data arrays, which is obtained by a procedure in which shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, and the one-dimensional data arrays are subjected to multiresolution analyses (MRA-1) and (MRA-2) so as to be separated into different frequency components ranging from a highest frequency component to a lowest frequency component; and HML, HLH, LHL, LMH, LML, LLH, and LLL each represent an individual frequency band obtained when the one-dimensional data arrays are separated into frequency components having one concave-convex cycle length of from 4 μm to 25 μm, from 10 μm to 50 μm, from 53 μm to 183 μm, from 106 μm to 318 μm, from 214 μm to 551 μm, from 431 μm to 954 μm, and from 867 μm to 1,654 μm, in this order.
- Claim: 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein in the electrophotographic photoconductor, at least frequency components other than HLL have a WRa of 0.06 μm or greater, and a frequency band of each of the frequency components is higher than that of LLL and when the frequency band of the frequency components in the electrophotographic photoconductor is plotted against a logarithmic value of each of the WRa values on a two-dimensional graph to obtain a relationship therebetween, an inflection point or a local maximum point is present in the frequency band of anyone of LLH, LMH, and LML, and wherein the electrophotographic photoconductor satisfies a linear velocity requirement that 250 to 1,000 concaves and convexes in the surface of the photo conductor pass the coating blade per second.
- Claim: 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a polymerized toner is used to develop an image.
- Claim: 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising at least two developing units, wherein the image forming apparatus employs a tandem system, and a polymerized toner is used to develop an image.
- Current U.S. Class: 430/66
- Patent References Cited: 5162183 November 1992 Lindblad et al. ; 5187039 February 1993 Meyer ; 6143452 November 2000 Sakimura et al. ; 6180303 January 2001 Uematsu et al. ; 6406825 June 2002 Sakimura et al. ; 2002/0018947 February 2002 Kabata et al. ; 2002/0037464 March 2002 Kawada et al. ; 2002/0081130 June 2002 Endo et al. ; 2002/0160287 October 2002 Miyamoto et al. ; 2003/0175606 September 2003 Kabata et al. ; 2004/0234294 November 2004 Nagame et al. ; 2005/0255393 November 2005 Nakata et al. ; 2006/0008717 January 2006 Uematsu et al. ; 2006/0019185 January 2006 Amamiya et al. ; 2006/0057479 March 2006 Niimi et al. ; 2007/0196752 August 2007 Dinh et al. ; 2008/0038649 February 2008 Hirose et al. ; 2008/0085459 April 2008 Kami et al. ; 2008/0227008 September 2008 Kami et al. ; 2008/0305415 December 2008 Wu et al. ; 2008/0311499 December 2008 Kami et al. ; 2009/0029277 January 2009 Okuda et al. ; 2009/0186287 July 2009 De Jong et al. ; 0473292 March 1992 ; 57-78402 May 1982 ; 63-28552 February 1988 ; 5-88392 April 1993 ; 7-104497 April 1995 ; 7-292095 November 1995 ; 8-248663 September 1996 ; 3040540 March 2000 ; 2000-162881 June 2000 ; 2000-171990 June 2000 ; 2001-265014 September 2001 ; 2001-289630 October 2001 ; 2001-343771 December 2001 ; 2002-82468 March 2002 ; 2002-196645 July 2002 ; 2002-251029 September 2002 ; 2002-258705 September 2002 ; 2002-296994 October 2002 ; 2002-299406 October 2002 ; 2002-311613 October 2002 ; 2002-341572 November 2002 ; 2003-131537 May 2003 ; 2003-241408 August 2003 ; 2003-270840 September 2003 ; 2004-54001 February 2004 ; 2004-61359 February 2004 ; 2004-101710 April 2004 ; 2004-258588 September 2004 ; 2005-208112 August 2005 ; 2005-227742 August 2005 ; 2005-315995 November 2005 ; 2006-53576 February 2006 ; 2006-53577 February 2006 ; 2006-078614 March 2006 ; 2006-79102 March 2006 ; 3782680 March 2006 ; 3789081 April 2006 ; 2006-163302 June 2006 ; 2006-308743 November 2006 ; 3878425 November 2006 ; 3878427 November 2006 ; 3878428 November 2006 ; 2007-79230 March 2007 ; 2007-79244 March 2007 ; 2007-86319 April 2007 ; 2007-086320 April 2007 ; 3938209 April 2007 ; 3938210 April 2007 ; 3943476 April 2007 ; 2007-163683 June 2007 ; 4003914 August 2007 ; 2007-233358 September 2007 ; 4011790 September 2007 ; 2007-292772 November 2007 ; 4110116 April 2008 ; 2008-122869 May 2008 ; 4136567 June 2008 ; 2008-164948 July 2008 ; 2008-257228 October 2008 ; 2008-261971 October 2008 ; 4194973 October 2008 ; 2009-025710 February 2009
- Other References: Hyakutake, Nobuo, et al. (2001) “Blade cleaning system for polymerized and small size toner,” Japanese Hardcopy Fall Meeting, pp. 24-27 (with partial English translation). cited by applicant ; Canadian official action dated Aug. 21, 2012 in corresponding Canadian patent application No. 2,755,752. cited by applicant ; Japanese official action dated May 16, 2013 in corresponding Japanese patent application No. 2009-199814. cited by applicant ; European Search Report dated Aug. 5, 2013 in corresponding European patent application No. 10 75 3620.3. cited by applicant
- Primary Examiner: Fraser, Stewart
- Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cooper & Dunham LLP
|
